Heart, Hope, and Hard Work: My Year as Superintendent of the Year

While being named Superintendent of the Year is an incredible professional accomplishment and honor, I have felt from the beginning that this award belongs to more than just me. It also belongs to Minneapolis Public Schools. 

It belongs to our dedicated team that pour their hearts into our classrooms, the strong partnerships we share with our parents, the partners who champion our vision, and most of all, our inspiring students. This accolade is a beautiful reflection of what happens when a community decides to wrap its arms around its schools. Looking back on this year, my deepest feeling is one of overwhelming gratitude for the collective spirit that moves our district forward. 

Healing and Building from Within 

True systemic health begins from within, and every success we celebrated this year was written by a multitude of hands. At the heart of our progress has been deep, intentional collaboration with our building and district leaders. Moving forward, together with our dedicated professionals has allowed MPS to align our vision, strengthen our day-to-day operation, and ensure we are meeting the diverse needs of our students. 

This unified front proved vital when we began another year with a daunting budget gap. Through our collective stewardship, we successfully ensured that MPS received maximum special education funding-an additional $20 million in revenue across two fiscal years from what was initially projected. As Superintendent, I am deeply committed to ensuring we do everything possible to provide our students with the resources and support they need and deserve. 

Reducing this budget gap was testament to the hard work of our team, allowing us to retain the equivalent of nearly 100 full-time positions-keeping our dedicated teachers and support staff exactly where they belong: right alongside our students.

Tangible Fruits of Shared Labor 

With a community choosing to invest so deeply in our schools, we have felt the ground stabilize beneath us, and the vibrancy of learning in our buildings is palpable. This renewed stability is clear in our milestones from this past year, including achieving our highest principal retention rate in a decade, securing our lowest teacher vacancy rate in five years, and celebrating two consecutive years of districtwide enrollment growth. Furthermore, this foundation allowed for the successful, districtwide launch of our new K-3 foundational literacy curriculum. These milestones are not individual accomplishments; they are the tangible fruits of our shared labor. 

A Destination District is Built by Listening 

We know that a true destination district cannot be defined in a vacuum; it must be built by listening. Through ten community conversations hosted across the city, the invaluable partnerships with our caregivers and neighbors helped directly shape and define the MPS Student Experience. 

Most importantly, we lifted up our students’ voices, ensuring that the young people we serve remain the central authors of our journey ahead. By keeping our students firmly at the center of our decisions, we anchor our hope for the future in their limitless potential. 

Our unity extended gracefully from our local neighborhoods right to the steps of the state capitol. Standing shoulder-to-shoulder with union members, board leadership, and a passionate delegation of MPS caregivers, we advocated as one family for the adequate school funding our students need and deserve. 

Whether carrying our collective voice to the state level by co-facilitating the MASA Legislative Platform or serving districts statewide on the AASA Governing Board, my role was simply to reflect the strength of a community that refuses to stay silent when it comes to its youth.

The Journey Ahead 

Ultimately, the true measure of success is how we pave the way for those who follow. Having the opportunity to mentor a superintendent and help emerging leaders obtain their superintendent licensure has been a profound privilege, reinforcing my core belief that our legacy is found in the leaders we help rise. 

This award and recognition is simply a mirror reflecting the dedication, resilience, and heart of Minneapolis Public Schools. As we look ahead with unwavering hope for the future, focusing deeply on the MPS Student Experience and keeping our children at the center of all we do, thank you for standing together. Thank you for believing in our students, and for proving that when we lead with love and solidarity, there is absolutely nothing we cannot achieve. 

Together,
Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams
Superintendent of the Year
Minneapolis Public Schools